U.S. patent application number 10/339314 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-17 for method and system for checking an original recorded information.
Invention is credited to Shinoda, Takashi.
Application Number | 20030133153 10/339314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19191068 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030133153 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shinoda, Takashi |
July 17, 2003 |
Method and system for checking an original recorded information
Abstract
A method includes the step of transmitting by a server to a
printer, recorded information image data generated from the
recorded information or the information to be recorded on a
recording medium; the step of receiving, from the printer which
receives and stores the original image, an ID of a contactless IC
chip, the ID read by the printer from the recording medium; the
step of linking the ID to the recorded information image data and
recording them in a database; the step of receiving, from a reader
terminal, an ID as a confirmation information read by the reader
terminal from a recording medium to be checked; and the step of
making a search, according to the confirmation information, through
the database for recorded information image data corresponding to
the ID and transmitting the recorded information image data to an
output terminal.
Inventors: |
Shinoda, Takashi;
(Nagareyama, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANTONELLI TERRY STOUT AND KRAUS
SUITE 1800
1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
ARLINGTON
VA
22209
|
Family ID: |
19191068 |
Appl. No.: |
10/339314 |
Filed: |
January 10, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.15 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 2201/3233 20130101;
H04N 1/00342 20130101; H04N 1/32101 20130101; H04N 2201/3235
20130101; H04N 2201/3226 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/1.15 |
International
Class: |
B41J 001/00; G06F
015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 11, 2002 |
JP |
2002-005122 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of checking original recorded information with respect
to recorded information recorded on a recording medium, using a
contactless IC chip having stored a unique ID linked to the
contactless IC chip, comprising: an original image transmitting
step of transmitting by a server, to a printer, recorded
information to be recorded on the recording medium or recorded
information image data generated from the recorded information; an
original ID receiving step of receiving, from the printer which
receives the original image to store the image on a recording
medium, an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on the recording
medium, the ID being obtained through a reading operation conducted
by the printer for the recording medium; an original data
registering step of linking the ID of the IC chip to the recorded
information image data and recording the ID and the image data in a
database; a confirmation information receiving step of receiving,
from a reader terminal, an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on a
recording media to be checked, the ID being obtained through a
reading operation conducted by the reader terminal for the
recording medium having stored recorded information of which
original recorded information is to be checked; and an image
transmitting step of making a search, according to the ID received
as confirmation information from the reader terminal, through the
database for recorded information image data corresponding to the
ID and transmitting the recorded information image data to an
output terminal.
2. A method of checking original recorded information according to
claim 1, wherein: the confirmation information receiving step
further includes the step of receiving from the reader terminal the
recorded information image data and the ID of the contactless IC
chip mounted on the IC chip obtained through the reading operation
conducted by the reader terminal; and the image transmitting step
further includes the step of making a search through the database
for image data of original recorded information as original data
corresponding to the ID received in the confirmation information
receiving step, making a check for identity between the image data
of original recorded information and the recorded information image
data from the recording medium to be checked, and transmitting a
result of the check to an output terminal.
3. A method of checking original recorded information according to
claim 1, wherein: the original ID receiving step further includes
the step of receiving a digital signature put by the printer
together with the original ID from the printer; and the original
data registering step further includes the step of recording the
digital signature with a relationship established between the
signature and the original ID.
4. A method of checking original recorded information according to
claim 1, wherein: the original image transmitting step includes the
step of putting by a server a digital signature to the recorded
information or the recorded information original data to be
transmitted; and the original data registering step includes the
step of putting a digital signature to the original data to be
registered.
5. A server system for checking original recorded information with
respect to recorded information recorded on a recording medium,
using a contactless IC chip having stored a unique ID linked to the
contactless IC chip, comprising: original image transmitting means
for transmitting, to a printer, recorded information to be recorded
on the recording medium or recorded information image data
generated from the recorded information; original ID receiving
means for receiving, from the printer which receives the original
image to store the image on a recording medium, an ID of a
contactless IC chip mounted on the recording medium, the ID being
obtained through a reading operation conducted by the printer for
the recording medium; original data registering means for linking
the ID of the IC chip to the recorded information image data and
recording the ID and the image data in a database; confirmation
information receiving means for receiving, from a reader terminal,
an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on a recording media to be
checked, the ID being obtained through a reading operation
conducted by the reader terminal for the recording medium having
stored recorded information of which original recorded information
is to be checked; and image transmitting means for making a search,
according to the ID received as confirmation information from the
reader terminal, through the database for recorded information
image data corresponding to the ID and transmitting the recorded
information image data to an output terminal.
6. A program product for implementing on a server a method of
checking original recorded information with respect to recorded
information recorded on a recording medium, using a contactless IC
chip having stored a unique ID linked to the contactless IC chip,
comprising: an original image transmitting part for transmitting,
to a printer, recorded information to be recorded on the recording
medium or recorded information image data generated from the
recorded information; an original ID receiving part for receiving,
from the printer which receives the original image to store the
image on a recording medium, an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted
on the recording medium, the ID being obtained through a reading
operation conducted by the printer for the recording medium; an
original data registering part for linking the ID of the IC chip to
the recorded information image data and recording the ID and the
image data in a database; a confirmation information receiving part
for receiving, from a reader terminal, an ID of a contactless IC
chip mounted on a recording media to be checked, the ID being
obtained through a reading operation conducted by the reader
terminal for the recording medium having stored recorded
information of which original recorded information is to be
checked; and an image transmitting part for making a search,
according to the ID received as confirmation information from the
reader terminal, through the database for recorded information
image data corresponding to the ID and transmitting the recorded
information image data to an output terminal.
7. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a
program product for checking original recorded information
according to claim 6.
8. A reader terminal for use with a method of checking original
recorded information according to claim 1, comprising: ID reading
means for reading an ID of a contactless IC chip; and scanner means
for reading image data of recorded information recorded on a
recording medium.
9. A reader terminal for use with a method of checking original
recorded information according to claim 2, comprising: ID reading
means for reading an ID of a contactless IC chip; and scanner means
for reading image data of recorded information recorded on a
recording medium.
10. A reader terminal for use with a method of checking original
recorded information according to claim 3, comprising: ID reading
means for reading an ID of a contactless IC chip; and scanner means
for reading image data of recorded information recorded on a
recording medium.
11. A reader terminal for use with a method of checking original
recorded information according to claim 4, comprising: ID reading
means for reading an ID of a contactless IC chip; and scanner means
for reading image data of recorded information recorded on a
recording medium.
12. A printer for use with a method of checking original recorded
information according to claim 1, comprising ID reading means for
reading an ID of a contactless IC chip.
13. A printer for use with a method of checking original recorded
information according to claim 2, comprising ID reading means for
reading an ID of a contactless IC chip.
14. A printer for use with a method of checking original recorded
information according to claim 3, comprising ID reading means for
reading an ID of a contactless IC chip.
15. A printer for use with a method of checking original recorded
information according to claim 4, comprising ID reading means for
reading an ID of a contactless IC chip.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No.
______ filed on ______ based on Japanese Application Number
2002-005121 filed on Jan. 11, 2002 and assigned to the present
assignee. The content of the application is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a method of checking
authenticity of recorded information recorded on a recording medium
or of confirming identity of recorded information recorded on a
recording medium with original recorded information corresponding
to the recorded information, using a contactless integrated circuit
(IC) chip having recorded a unique identifier (ID) assigned
thereto.
[0003] In an operation to transfer official documents to be
transferred between government and municipal offices, companies,
and/or individual persons or sheets of paper on which documents are
recorded and which have value, for example, securities and/or
notes, it is important to confirm authenticity thereof, namely,
such items are actually associated with their original information.
Items of which authenticity attracts attention due to value thereof
include art objects, industrial art objects, and photos. In a
situation in which it is required to confirm authenticity of
various recorded information recorded on a recording medium in
various forms such as characters and letters, graphic images,
symbols, pseudo-solid contours, combinations of these items, and/or
combinations of these items with colors, each of the recorded
information becomes an object to be confirmed or checked.
[0004] One of the forms of recorded information is, for example, a
document including a set of characters. In a most common method to
confirm authenticity of a document, a seal impression is put on the
document or a bar code is printed thereon. For example, in a
commercial transaction, a partner of the transaction having
received a document with a seal impression put thereon confirms
authenticity of the document as follows. The receiver of the
document makes a check to determine whether or not the seal
impression is associated with a seal beforehand registered to, for
example, a municipal office to resultantly confirm truth or
falsehood of the document. In another case in which the document is
generated as electronic information, a digital signature is used in
place of the seal impression to confirm authenticity of the
document. JP-A-11-238049 proposes another method of confirming
authenticity of a document using summary information in place of
the digital signature. This method produces summary information by
applying a function, i.e., a summary function to each of
information files of an original document and a document of which
authenticity is to be confirmed. The method verifies the summary
information with each other to resultantly confirm authenticity of
the document.
[0005] However, the methods of the prior art are open to further
improvement. For example, in the method using a seal impression, if
the seal used to produce the seal impression is stolen and is put
to a document including recorded information, authenticity of the
document is normally and successfully achieved. That is, it is
difficult to determine that the recorded information is actually
true or false. The methods cannot be fully applicable to a document
on which a bar code or the like including authentication
information beforehand encoded. In this case, if a part of the bar
code is cut off and is pasted on a document, authenticity of the
document will be confirmed. On the other hand, the invention of
JP-A-11-238049 describing the confirmation method of the prior art
for electronically recorded information is also open to further
improvement. The method is inherently limited to electronic
documents. In addition, although forging and stealing of a digital
signature and an electronic certificate require troublesome human
power and a long period of time, if the forging or the like is
successfully achieved, authenticity of such documents cannot be
completely and satisfactorily confirmed. Heretofore, no method has
been proposed which closely and not separably relates recorded
information of a document, a graphic image, or the like recorded on
one of various recording media such as a sheet of paper through a
printing operation or the like to information indicating that the
recorded information is actually produced from its original to
thereby confirming authenticity of the recorded information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention, which
has been proposed in consideration of the problems above, to
provide a method of and a system for checking original recorded
information to simply confirm the original recorded information
with high reliability.
[0007] To achieve the object according to the present invention,
there is provided a method of checking original recorded
information with respect to recorded information recorded on a
recording medium, using a contactless IC chip having stored a
unique ID linked to the contactless IC chip. The method includes an
original image transmitting step of transmitting by a server, to a
printer, recorded information image data generated from recorded
information or information to be recorded on the recording medium;
an original ID receiving step of receiving, from the printer which
receives the original image to store the image on a recording
medium, an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on the recording
medium, the ID being obtained through a reading operation conducted
by the printer; an original data registering step of linking the ID
of the IC chip to the recorded information image data and recording
the ID and the image data in a database; a confirmation information
receiving step of receiving, from a reader terminal, an ID of a
contactless IC chip mounted on a recording media to be checked, the
ID being obtained through a reading operation conducted by the
reader terminal for the recording medium having stored recorded
information of which original recorded information is to be
checked; and an image transmitting step of making a search,
according to the ID received as confirmation information from the
reader terminal, through the database for recorded information
image data corresponding to the ID and transmitting the recorded
information image data to an output terminal.
[0008] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following description of the embodiments
of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a network configuration
including an embodiment of a system for checking original recorded
information.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a table showing an example of a data layout in an
embodiment of an original recorded data managing database.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an actual procedure of a
method of checking original recorded information in the
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Referring now to the drawings, description will be given in
detail of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a
network configuration including an embodiment of a system for
checking original recorded information. FIG. 2 shows an example of
a data layout in an embodiment of an original recorded data
managing database. Assume as a background of the embodiment a
situation in which an organization operates a managing server 10
achieving the method of checking original recorded information of
the present invention. The server 10 checks original recorded
information of a document 30 recorded in a file (or on a recording
medium) 20 which the organization supervises or for which the
organization has an authorized level to certify that the document
30 is actually associated with the original recorded information.
In this case, a contactless IC chip 40 is watermarked in the file
20. For example, the organization sets an identifier (chip ID) to
the chip 40 and issues and manages the chip 40. Or, it is also
possible that an ID managing center 50 (a chip ID issuing and
certificate authority) of a third-party organization issues and
manages the contactless IC chip 40 or a recording medium with the
chip 40, for example, by embedding the chip 40 in the medium. It is
to be appreciated that the present invention is not restricted only
by these embodiments but is applicable to any situations in which
for recorded information recorded on a recording medium in various
formats, original recorded information is checked for authenticity
of the information recorded on the medium.
[0013] The managing server 10 operated by the organization
transmits using by an appropriate communication unit a document
(recorded information) 30 to be recorded, for example, in the file
20 as a recording medium or original image data (recorded
information image data) produced from the document 30. The server
10 receives a chip ID of the contactless IC chip 40 on the
recording medium as an original recorded information ID from the
printer 60 and image data of a document 35 recorded in a file 25 as
a recording medium to be checked and a chip ID of the contactless
IC chip 45 from the terminal 70 to check original recorded
information. Although the reader terminal 70 is connected via a
network to the server 10 in this case, it is also possible to use
the reader terminal 70 in the form of a unit to be attached to the
server 10. That is, the terminal 70 is directly connected to an
input/output (I/O) port of the server 10. For authentication of the
received chip ID, the chip ID is verified using an ID managing
database 12 or a query for authentication of the chip ID is issued
to an ID managing center 50 to receive a result of the query.
[0014] For synchronization with the ID managing center 50, a
database 11 of the database 12 receives chip ID information from
the center 50 at suitable timing and copies the information to
appropriately update the information. When the managing server 10
issues and manages the chip ID, the center 50 and the operation to
update the chip ID information are not required. The original
recorded data ID or the original ID received from the printer 60 is
registered to an original data managing database 13 with a
correspondence established between the original ID and the image
data of original recorded information. FIG. 2 shows the format in a
data layout example 200.
[0015] In the embodiment, each data record includes a chip ID as a
key, a file name of original image data, a digital signature
produced by the printer 60, and a data storage date. The digital
signature may be, in addition to that described above, a digital
signature associated with a secret key possessed by the managing
server 10. If the server 10 puts, each time original data is
registered to the original data managing database 13, a digital
signature thereto, data falsified by a third person can be detected
to suppress such an invalid or illegal operation. Naturally, this
also leads to a similar advantage also when a digital signature
produced by the printer 60 is used and possibly leads to
improvement of security in data communication between the printer
60 and the managing server 10. In addition, the record of the data
storage date leads to an advantageous as follows. For example, even
when a person falsifies recorded information such as a document and
registers the falsified information as original data again, it is
possible to recognize records of the original data first recorded.
A program database 14 stores application programs to conduct
operations to be executed in association with data communication
with the printer 60 and the terminal 70 to check original recorded
information. For example, the programs are used to conduct
operations to register original data and to read original data and
an operation to refer to data.
[0016] The managing server 10 can naturally operate as a Web server
or a mail server. The ID managing database 12, the original data
managing database 13, and the program database 14 of the database
11 are installed in an appropriate storage such as a hard disk. It
is possible to collectively store the databases in one storage. Or,
the databases may be stored in respective storages, which are
connected via a network to each other for organic operation.
[0017] The ID managing center 50 issues a chip ID of a contactless
IC chip 40 as well as a contactless IC chip 40 on which the chip ID
is recorded. When a query for authenticity is received from the
managing server 10, the center 50 confirms truth or falsehood of
the chip 40 by authenticating the chip 40 associated with the
printer 60 or the terminal to check original recorded information
70. The center 50 can be regarded as a chip ID issuing and
certificate authority. The chip ID is issued to the contactless IC
chip 40 with a one-to-one correspondence therebetween, and hence
duplication of the chip ID is impossible. When the managing server
10 issues and manages the chip ID, the ID managing center 50 is not
required.
[0018] If security and synchronization can be retained and shared
for the chip ID of the chip 40 in the ID managing database 12
between the managing server 10 and the ID managing center 50, the
server 10 and the center 50 may be implemented by one computer unit
or the server 10 and the center 50 may be connected via a network
for organic operation.
[0019] The printer 60 receives the document 30 as recorded
information or original image data (recorded information image
data) produced from the information to store the image data on the
recording medium. The printer 60 reads the contactless IC chip 40
mounted on the file 20 to resultantly obtain an original ID and
sends the ID to the managing server. Ordinarily, since the
organization managing the server 10 also registers the original
data, the printer 60 is installed, for example, in each division or
section of the organization. The printer 60 includes an inherent
printing function and a chip ID reader section to read the chip ID
of the contactless IC chip 40 mounted on the file 20. To the
original ID, the printer 60 puts, for example, a digital signature,
and then a communication unit sends the ID by via a network to the
managing server 10. When the managing server 10 and the printer 60
are configured in one unit, it is not required to conduct the
communication of the original ID via the network.
[0020] The terminal 70 as a reader terminal includes a chip ID
reader terminal 71 to read a file which is a recording medium 25 to
be checked and which records information as an object of the check.
The terminal 70 sends information obtained by the check to the
managing server 10. The reader terminal 71 includes at least a chip
ID reading function to read a chip ID of a contactless IC chip 45
mounted on the recording medium 25 and preferably includes a
scanner function to acquire image data (recorded information image
data) of recorded information 35 of a file and the like on the
recording medium 25. If the terminal 70 and the reader terminal 71
are configured in one unit together with the managing server 10,
the configuration described above in which these components are
connected to each other via the a network to each other is not
required. It is also possible that the terminal 70 and the reader
terminal 71 are implemented by one unit in a sharing manner or are
configured in one block.
[0021] The printer 60 is not limited to the device of general
printer type shown in FIG. 1. The terminal 60 may be any device
including a computer chip of any type if the device is connectible
to a network and includes the reader function to read the
contactless IC chip 40 and the output function to output the
recorded information 30 to the recording medium 20. That is, the
terminal 60 may be, for example, a mobile or portable telephone, a
kiosk terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a game machine,
a digital television set, or a facsimile device.
[0022] The chip ID reader terminal 71 is not limited to the device
of scanner type shown in FIG. 1. The terminal 60 may be any device
including a computer chip of any type if the device is connectible
to a network and includes at least the reader function to read the
contactless IC chip 40 and favorably the scanner function to scan
the recorded information 30.
[0023] The network to establish desired connections between the
managing server 10, the ID managing center 50, the printer 60, and
the terminal 70 to check original recorded information includes, in
addition to the internet, a personal computer communication line, a
local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), an
asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, and a wireless
network.
[0024] The contactless IC chip 40 is a so-called RFID (Radio
Frequency IDentifier) chip including an antenna therein. Using the
antenna, the chip can receive power and readout data from the
printer 60 and the chip ID reader terminal 71. The chip includes a
central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), a
read-only memory (ROM), and an electrically erasable programmable
ROM (EEPROM). The chip ID is recorded, for example, in the
nonvolatile ROM dedicated to readout operation or the nonvolatile,
electrically rewritable EEPROM. The chip ID is a unique number
assigned to each contactless IC chip 40. The chip IC may be
assigned according to a numbering rule of a JAN (Japanese Article
Number) code, for example, for each section or each information
type of the record information 30 recorded on the recording medium
20.
[0025] FIG. 3 shows a flow of an actual procedure of a method of
checking original recorded information in the embodiment.
Description will now be given of the actual procedure of the
method. Assume, for example, that a public and/or municipal office
operates the managing server 10 and manages official qualifications
which are essential for any person to take a business chance. Under
this condition, a person who wants to get the business chance and
who has the official qualifications requests the office to issue a
certificate that the person has the qualifications. On the other
hand, a provider of the business chance receives the certificate
presented by the person requesting the business chance. The
provider requests the office to check original recorded information
of the certificate and receives a result of the check. Through the
check of the original recorded information with respect to the
certificate, it is possible to determine whether or not the person
requesting the business chance has been actually qualified by the
office.
[0026] In this case, the office which receives the request for
issuance of the certificate and issues the certificate beforehand
outputs the document 30 to the printer to print the document 30 on
the certificate for qualifications 20 as the recording medium. The
server 10 generates original document image data (recorded
information image data) from the document 30 as recorded
information to be recorded on the certificate 20 (s301). The server
10 then sends the image data to the printer 60 (s302). Or, the
server 60 sends the document information to the printer 60 without
any modification. The printer 60 prints the document information or
the image data as an original image onto the certificate 20. The
printer 60 also reads the contactless IC chip 40 mounted on the
certificate 20 to obtain the chip IC of the IC chip 40. The
managing server 10 receives from the printer 60 the chip ID as an
original ID (s303).
[0027] Having received the original ID, the managing server 10
makes a check to determine whether or not a digital signature
produced by the printer 60 is attached to the original ID (s304).
When security management is highly required in the data
communication, for example, because the printer 60 is connected via
a network to the managing server 10, it is favorable that, for
example, the printer 60 puts a digital signature to the original ID
using a cipher key assigned thereto and sends the ID to the
managing server 10. If the digital signature is present, the server
10 executes authentication processing for the digital signature
using the database 11 or issues a request to an authentication
organization such as an authentication office to authenticate the
digital signature (s305). If a result of authentication indicates
falsehood of the digital signature, the server 10 terminates the
processing.
[0028] If the digital signature is successfully authenticated or
the original ID has not such a digital signature (s306), the server
10 executes authentication processing for the original ID. The
server 10 checks the ID by original ID verification in the ID
managing database 12 of the server 10 or by issuing a verification
request for the original ID to the ID managing center 50 (s307). As
a result, if the original ID from the printer 60 actually exists
and is correct (true; s308), the server 10 linkes the ID to the
original image data, puts a digital signature thereto using an
encryption key of the server 10, and registers the ID to the
original data managing database 13 (s309). If the chip ID is absent
or if the verification result indicates any fear of falsification,
the server 10 terminates the processing.
[0029] Finally, the original data is completely registered with a
one-to-one correspondence established between the original document
image data of the document 30 to be printed on the certificate 20
and the chip ID (original ID) of the ID chip 40 embedded in the
certificate 20. The office sends the certificate 20 of which the
original data has been completely registered and which has been
printed by the printer 60, to the person requesting the business
chance. The person then presents the certificate to the provider of
the business chance. The provider checks the certificate with
respect to original recorded information thereof to determine
whether or not the person has the qualifications certified by the
office.
[0030] The person providing the business chance brings the
certificate 20 to a window of the public or municipal office or a
branch office thereof. The person installs the certificate 20 as a
recording medium 25 to be checked, at a predetermined position of a
chip ID reader terminal 71 in the office. The terminal 71 reads the
recording medium 25 having recorded record information 35 to be
checked and obtains a chip ID of the contactless ID chip 45 from
the recording medium 25. Preferably, the terminal 71 reads, in
addition to the chip ID, document image data, i.e., image data of
the recorded information 35. To the data items read by the reader
terminal 71, the terminal 71 or the terminal 70 to check original
recorded information preferably puts a digital signature and then
sends the data items as confirmation information to the managing
server 10.
[0031] The server 10 receives the confirmation information (s310).
According to the chip ID in the information, the server 10 makes a
search through the original data managing database 13 for original
document image data corresponding to the ID (s311). The server 10
executes authentication processing for the digital signature of the
confirmation information and that of the retrieved original
document image data (original recorded information image data;
s312). As described above, the processing is executed in one of two
cases. That is, the authentication processing is conducted by the
database 11 or a request is issued to the authentication
organization for the authentication to obtain a result of
authentication. As a result of the processing, if it is determined
that the original document image data has been falsified or the
digital signature put by the terminal 70 to check original recorded
information to the confirmation information is invalid or illegal,
the server 10 terminates the processing.
[0032] If the signature authentication is normally terminated
(s313), the server 10 makes a check to determine whether or not
document image data of the certificate as the recording medium 25
is attached to the confirmation information (s314). If such
document image data is absent, the server 10 sends the original
document image data to the terminal 70 to check original recorded
information (s315'). The terminal to which the original document
image data is not limited to the terminal 70. If the terminal 70 is
configured as one unit together with the managing server 10, the
image data may be sent to an output device such as a display or a
printer of the server 10.
[0033] If the document image data of the recording medium 25 is
attached to the confirmation information, the server 10 makes a
check for identity of the document image data, for example, by
verifying the document image data with the original document image
data. The server 10 sends a result of the check to the terminal 70
as above (s315) and then terminates the processing.
[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention, the
procedure to receive confirmation information described above may
be modified as follows. In the procedure, the recorded information
image data obtained by reading by the reader terminal the recording
medium having stored recorded information to be checked and the ID
of the contactless IC chip mounted on the recording medium are
received from the reader terminal. In the procedure to send the
image, the image data of original recorded information as original
data corresponding to the ID received in the procedure to receive
confirmation information is retrieved from the database. Between
the image data of original recorded information and the recorded
information image data from the recording medium to be checked, an
identity check is conducted to send a result of the check to the
output terminal. According to the embodiment, only the result of
the check of original recorded information can be simply obtained
with high reliability. The processing for an operator to visually
verify by her or his eyes the image data of recorded information
with the recorded information recorded on the recording medium to
be checked can be dispensed with. This reduces the human power and
the cost required for the processing.
[0035] In the procedure of the method to receive original ID, the
digital signature assigned by the printer is also received together
with the original ID from the printer. In the procedure to register
original recorded data, the digital signature is recorded with a
correspondence established between the signature and the original
ID. In this embodiment, when the printer is connected via a network
to the server, security of the data communication is improved
therebetween.
[0036] In the method, the server puts a digital signature to the
recorded information or the recorded information image data to be
transmitted in the original image transmitting procedure and a
digital signature to the original recorded data in the original
data registering procedure. According to this embodiment, when the
printer is connected to the server via a network, security can be
improved in the data communication therebetween, and invalid or
illegal falsification or the like for the original recorded data
registered to the database can be appropriately suppressed or
detected.
[0037] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
server system for checking original recorded information with
respect to recorded information recorded on a recording medium,
using a contactless IC chip having stored a unique ID linked to the
contactless IC chip. The server system includes an original image
transmitting unit for transmitting, to a printer, recorded
information to be recorded on the recording medium or recorded
information image data generated from the recorded information; an
original ID receiving unit for receiving, from the printer which
receives the original image to store the image on a recording
medium, an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on the recording
medium, the ID being obtained through a reading operation conducted
by the printer; an original data registering unit for linking the
ID of the IC chip to the recorded information image data and
recording the ID and the image data in a database; a confirmation
information receiving unit for receiving, from a reader terminal,
an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on a recording media to be
checked, the ID being obtained through a reading operation
conducted by the reader terminal for the recording medium having
stored recorded information of which original recorded information
is to be checked; and an image transmitting unit for making a
search, according to the ID received as confirmation information
from the reader terminal, through the database for recorded
information image data corresponding to the ID and transmitting the
recorded information image data to an output terminal. According to
the embodiment, there is provided a simple system for checking
original recorded information with high reliability.
[0038] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
program product for implementing on a server a method of checking
original recorded information with respect to recorded information
recorded on a recording medium, using a contactless IC chip having
stored a unique ID linked to the contactless IC chip. The program
product includes an original image transmitting part for
transmitting, to a printer, recorded information to be recorded on
the recording medium or recorded information image data generated
from the recorded information; an original ID receiving part for
receiving, from the printer which receives the original image to
store the image on a recording medium, an ID of a contactless IC
chip mounted on the recording medium, the ID being obtained through
a reading operation conducted by the printer; an original data
registering part for linking the ID of the IC chip to the recorded
information image data and recording the ID and the image data in a
database; a confirmation information receiving part for receiving,
from a reader terminal, an ID of a contactless IC chip mounted on a
recording media to be checked, the ID being obtained through a
reading operation conducted by the reader terminal for the
recording medium having stored recorded information of which
original recorded information is to be checked; and an image
transmitting part for making a search, according to the ID received
as confirmation information from the reader terminal, through the
database for recorded information image data corresponding to the
ID and transmitting the recorded information image data to an
output terminal. According to the embodiment, there is provided a
simple method of checking, on a server, original recorded
information with high reliability.
[0039] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon the
program product for checking original recorded information.
[0040] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
reader terminal for use with the method of checking original
recorded information. The reader terminal includes an ID reading
unit for reading an ID of a contactless IC chip and a scanner unit
for reading image data of recorded information recorded on a
recording medium. According to the embodiment, a method of and a
system for checking original recorded information of the present
invention can be suitably implemented.
[0041] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
printer for use with the method of checking original recorded
information including an ID reading unit to read an ID of a
contactless ID chip. According to the embodiment, a method of and a
system for checking original recorded information of the present
invention can be suitably implemented.
[0042] In the embodiments according to the present invention,
recorded information of a document, a graphic image, or the like
recorded on one of various recording media such as a sheet of paper
through a printing operation or the like is closely and not
separably related to information indicating that the recorded
information is produced from its original. This leads to an
advantage to simply confirm authenticity of the recorded
information with high reliability.
[0043] According to the present invention, there is provided a
method of and a system for simply checking original recorded
information with respect to the recorded information, with high
reliability.
[0044] It should be further understood by those skilled in the art
that although the foregoing description has been made on
embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto
and various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended
claims.
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